Improvement in blackboards



T. KANE. Blackboardh No. 217.239. Patented July s, 1879.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIon THOMAS KANE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEM ENT IN B LAGKBOARDS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 217,289, dated July 8, 1879 application filed I May 2, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS KANE, of Ohicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain Improvements in GombinedBlackboard and Map, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists in a reversible blackboard and map, in which the board and the map are so combined that the board serves as a backing for the map, and as a protection to the same against dust when not in use, while the two are caused to occupy only the amount of space heretofore required for one.

In schools and other places where blackboards are used it is desirable to have as much blackboard-space as possible; and to this end all the available wall-space is frequently devoted to this purpose, and even separate or' additional boards sustained upon easels or frames are also used.

The walLspace being thus utilized, no place remains for maps or charts, unless, as is very commonly the case, they are hung above the line of the blackboards, in which case they 'are very inconvenient for use, or allowed to hang down over the same, necessitating their being taken down and rehung each time the board is used.

The maps, having only alight flexible backing, are liable to become crumpled and torn by frequent handling, and, being constantly exposed to the dust and dirt of the schoolroom, become in a comparatively short time faded and disfigured.

To obviate these difficulties andprovide means whereby either the blackboard or the map may be readily and conveniently presented for use or inspection is the object of my invention; and to this end it consists in securing the map or chart to the rear face of a blackboard, and so mounting or supporting the board that it may be readily turned to face of the board. This may be accomplished in various ways, differing as to detail, but

not departing from the spirit of my invention.

In practice, however, I prefer to arrange the board as represented in the drawings, in which A represents the board, one face of which, a, is covered with the usual blackboardcoating, while the other face, b, has a map or chart secured upon it, as shown.

The board is held in position for use by guides or cleats B, which engage over the upper and lower edges, as shown in Figure 2. When the board is to be placed upon the wall the cleats or guides are secured directly to the wall but when it is to be used upon a frame or easel it is preferred to secure them to a backing, O, which will also serve to protect the map when turned inward from dust or dirt. In order that the board may be readily removed from the cleats or guides, a sufficient space is left in the upper guide to permit the board to be raised upward and its lower edge disengaged from its guide.

A chalk shelf or ledge, 0, may be secured to the blackened face of the board, if desired, in which case its outer edge will be formed with a rib, d, to engage with the lower cleat or guide, B, when the blackboard is turned inward.

Under the above construction the change from board to map, and vice versa, is easily accomplished without injury to the board or map. When not in use, the map, being turned in next to the wall or backing U, is protected from dust and dirt.

While I have described the board as being held in place by means of continuous ribs at top and bottom fitting behind cleats or guides, it is apparent that the same object may be attained by employing simply a vertical pin or stud at top and bottom at each side of the board, so that by drawing the pins past the guides at one side the board may be swungupon the pins at the other side as a hinge or pivot, and then the pins or studs passed again behind the cleats or guides.

In practice it is preferred to secure a light bead or molding upon each face to prevent scratching or injury. present either the map or the working-sur- I am aware that reversible blackboards are not new, andalso that figures, diagrams, and maps have been made on one surface of a blackboard, to be copied by the student upon the same surface, and this I do not claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. As a new article of manufacture, a body or board having a slated or blackboard sur- 3. In combination with the fixed rabbeted face upon one side and a map permanently secleats B B, the reversible board A, having cured upon the other. the lipped or flanged trough G.

2. In combination with the blackboard THOMAS KANE. having a map on the rear side, the cleats and Witnesses: chalk'trough arranged to sustain the board LEROY S. MALLORY,

and permit its reversal. E. J. OUsAoK. 

